1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to containers and boxes used for packaging, shipping, and displaying goods. More particularly, the invention relates to display containers having means to facilitate the stacking of such containers on top of one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display containers are widely used for shipping and marketing products. Such containers are especially popular in warehouse-type marketing settings and supermarkets where many containers are opened to display the food or merchandise within and can be stacked one on top of another. Examples include containers of packaged candy which may be decorated for display purposes. The containers of candy are shipped to the store in stacked form. Store personnel remove any display panels to allow the candy within to be seen and removed, and the containers are then stacked one on top of another on the retail floor.
A major problem with previously known display containers is their lack of strength for stacking. All too often, loaded and stacked containers collapse or become misshaped due to the combined weight of the containers and products contained therein. This impairs the aesthetic appearance of the display sought by the seller and damages the products within. Another problem is where one container nests into the container on top of which it is stacked. Here, a corner or bottom edge of the top container “nests” or falls into the container below.
Typical containers are made from a die cut piece of single layer corrugated paperboard. Such construction has proven unsatisfactory for display use where removal of the top and any display cutout weakens the container sidewalls which bear the weight of a stacked group of containers. Collapse and/or warping results.
Methods of producing stronger containers are known. For example, double walled corrugated containers are stronger than single walled corrugated containers. This added strength, however, adds additional manufacturing costs and creates more waste product for eventual disposal. Moreover, because the container is formed from a single die cut piece of corrugated paperboard, all parts of the container will be made of the double layer board, including the bottom forming panels which do not always need the added strength. This wastes natural resources used to make the container and adds unnecessary manufacturing costs.
Another consideration is the assembly and filling of containers by automatic machinery. Various types of configurations for improving the stacking strength of containers may not be compatible with containers that are opened or assembled from a flat configuration, also known as a knockdown form.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a means for improving the stacking strength of containers.
Another objective is to provide means for improving stacking strength that is compatible with containers used on automatic fill lines where the containers are opened from a collapsed or knockdown form.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention.